Hotou Fudo Kawaguchiko Station — Restaurant in Fujikawaguchiko

I'd been reading that Hoto noodles are a specialty in the Lake Kawaguchiko region, and that it is the "must try" food item when one is in that area, so we went to this Houtuou Fudou restaurant to try it. This restaurant is very popular and tends to have a long lineup out the door for it. It is right across the street from the train station. We managed to avoid standing in this lineup however by coming for a very early dinner.

The noodles were good but not outstanding. Hoto noodles don't seem very different from regular udon noodles. A bit flatter, but basically they were like udon noodles. It was a hearty meal. Great for a cold winter's night. The dish was piping hot and full of tummy warming ingredients. There was kabocha squash, mushroom and other veggies in the bowl. They are able to make a vegan bowl of hoto noodles. Just make sure to tell them in advance and be prepared to wait a bit. My husband ordered a regular bowl of hoto noodles but as I requested a vegan broth for mine, my order took a good deal longer to arrive at the table.

The menu is limited but what they do, they do well. Our daughter ordered Zaru Soba for her meal, and we ordered a side of dish of pickled veggies to go with our hoto noodles.They have a combination of regular tables and tatami mat tables. We were seated at one of the regular tables.

I highly recommend coming early to avoid having to wait in line...

A very nice place to try Yoshida Udon, which is a bit different than other udons from other places in Japan.

It's very conveniently located in front of the station. I really loved how flexible they were in accepting us to dine in 20 minutes before their official closing time. I expect they worked well into an hour after closing.

The general ambience is quite 'Japanese' to me, with beautiful, large Kanji calligraphy on some walls. The staff is very friendly and welcoming, and polite.

One thing I think they might need to consider is music. While they had traditional Japanese music from this area, to me it was more vocals and less music. I suggest something mellow, maybe alternating between this style, with other Japanese musical instrument music such as the koto, and perhaps some mellow jazz music every once in a while.

The Udon's soup was very delicious, with an interesting mix of vegetables. The Udon itself had good texture and was enjoyable to eat, although I do prefer it a bit more chewy, It was served in a traditional iron pot which was very beautiful. I was a little disappointed with the very few pumpkin pieces, but overall it was quite delicious. I would definitely go again on my next visit.

I would say it's a little pricey, but still acceptable given the location, portions and quality...

Hoto noodles was on my list of food to try in Mt Fuji, so I was on the look out for a restaurant that served them. We picked this restaurant since it was close to Kawaguchiko Station, which was very convenient.

Arriving just before they opened for the day, a line was already formed. Upon opening, promptly seated and given an English menu, which made ordering easy. The staff were friendly and the restaurant is very spacious.

We ordered the Yamanashi-style Flat Udon Noodles and Vegetables on Miso Soup. This was a hearty noodle soup packed with veggies, mushroom, and tofu. The portion was huge and can definitely be shared. The noodles were chewy, reminiscent of udon noodles. For drinks, we went with sake to get the whole experience.

Overall, if you love noodles, you'll enjoy the hoto noodles and it was good to have a healthier meal as well. However, it isn't a meal I need to have again. Hence, I'd give this meal 3.5 stars.

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